Roberta leads the Foundation’s narrative strategy, storytelling, and strategic communications efforts. She was drawn to the Foundation by its holistic vision for schools as places where young people thrive.
Roberta’s career has spanned a variety of roles – from research and writing, to community organizing, to education policy – and she integrates all of these experiences into her role at the Foundation. Most recently, she was Senior Writer and Director of Storytelling at the Learning Policy Institute, working at the intersection of research, policy, and narrative strategy and storytelling. Previously, Roberta was director of research and writing at PICO California, where her work included supporting local education organizing efforts and leading the organization’s state education policy analysis and advocacy. She also brings more than 20 years of experience in print and multimedia journalism. She has earned regional and national magazine awards, authored a book on gender and technology, and contributed to documentaries and collections on K–12 schools.
Roberta brings to the Foundation a deep belief that creating equity and justice in schools and communities requires engaging young people and families as authentic and trusted partners. She remains involved in community organizing efforts and is on the advisory board for Faith in Action International; she is also a member of the Steering Committee for the National Partnership for the Future of Learning, the network’s principal governing body. She received a B.S. from Santa Clara University in Political Science and studied in the graduate studies program in the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.
Roberta is a committed Zen practitioner who finds joy digging in the garden, experimenting in the kitchen, and hanging out with her family – humans and dogs, all of whom love a good meal.